The Youth Development Task Force was established as a goal by past National President Judith Jackson during her initial two-year term of office. Current National President, Dr. Gloria Batiste–Roberts, has continued to support the work of the Youth Development Task Force, and the reappointment of the current Task Force Chair.

The Youth Development Task Force has sponsored institutes on youth development at the National Conference.  The format has featured an interactive panel discussion wherein social welfare and health professionals, parents, and youth are used as expert panelists to make brief introductory statements for discussion.  Typically, there has been extensive interaction from the audience as we attempt to learn more about youth from each other.  The most recent institute was entitled “African American Youth Still in Limbo: the Successes and the Hurdles.”

The Youth Development Task Force has also written a draft professional paper on “Positive Youth Development”, intended for publication in the NABSW Journal.

During 2008, the task force will continue to focus on youth successes and hurdles. With the overarching Task Force goal being to define youth development from an Afrocentric perspective, forward planning will target dissemination of youth development information to all NABSW chapters.